


Nidification

by swtalmnd



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Dragon Tony Stark, Fluff, M/M, Nesting, Werewolf Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-28 05:22:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20058694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swtalmnd/pseuds/swtalmnd
Summary: Nidification:the act, process, or technique of building a nest





	Nidification

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Dr QT and wynnesome for encouraging my desire to take a mental break from my long-ass dragon Tony wip to write this short little bit of floof instead -- you two are the best!

"Whatcha doing there, Buckaroo?" asked Tony, leaning in the doorway of Bucky's rooms without crossing the threshold. Territory was a big deal to some shifters, and Tony suspected that Bucky was one of them.

Bucky glanced up and then went back to his task. "You said I could rearrange if I wanted." He sounded defensive, his shoulders hunching.

"Sure, sure," said Tony, hands up, palms out. "You can buy you all-new stuff if this doesn't suit. Whatever keeps the pack happy, I guess."

Bucky snorted, shooting Tony a wry half-smile. "Didn't know you were planning to move a whole pack in here," he said.

"Two's still a pack." Tony shrugged, pushing himself off the doorway and stepping inside. "Want help?"

Bucky gave him a considering look, then nodded once. "Sure. By pack, you mean Steve, I guess?"

"White and gold matching puppies, yep." Tony stood and tried to imagine what Bucky was actually going for, having dragged his mattress out of the bedroom and into one corner of the living room. It was piled up with cushions from all the furniture, not to mention what Tony was pretty sure were all Bucky's linens and the extras from Steve's suite, too. "So, if you want this to be a two-wolf nest, it's probably big enough, but we might want to get some actual dog-proof cushions in case of claws."

"You think I'd shift in the tower?" asked Bucky, head whipping around, eyes wide.

Tony shrugged again, moving things around, trying to gauge the size of two snuggling wolves. Steve and Bucky were big even for wolves, so he might as well gauge for their human forms, he decided, and started moving with more confidence. "Sure, why not? Steve does. Shuri assured me your shifted form is no more insane or contagious than you are, at least not anymore."

Bucky shook his head, huffing. "Humans don't make any sense these days," he groused, showing rather than telling Tony what he was up to so the two of them could construct a warm, soft nest. They used the denuded couch to make an extra wall so the nest was three-sided, open to give a good view of the tv, but shielded from anyone who came through the door. Defensible but comfortable. The furniture cushions lined the walls and sofa, all of them a nice matching neutral, and the throw pillows, bed pillows, and blankets made a colorful pile in the middle. It looked very inviting.

Tony chuckled. "You must know I'm not human," he said dryly. "No one that lives up here is."

Bucky blinked, then leaned in and sniffed Tony with all the rudeness he'd clearly been avoiding, running his nose up behind Tony's ear. Tony made himself stay still, neither laughing nor leaning into the soft huffs of breath on his skin. "You're... A lizard?"

"Dragon, thank you very much," said Tony, unable to be too offended, given the rarity of his species. "Pepper is a sphinx, Natasha's a maenad, Clint's an elf in exile, Thor's a god, and Bruce is the Hulk."

Bucky snorted at that. "Clint's a mess, is what he is." Deft fingers started tucking, folding, and smoothing the nest he'd made, the going easy now that the structure was in place. He glanced over at Tony and then into his nest. "Steve ain't likely to sleep here with me."

"Because he's territorial?" asked Tony curiously; he'd really been under the impression the two of them were pack-tight, brothers in arms and fur and all that. He went back to helping, anyway, figuring Bucky still wanted the nest no matter who it was for.

Bucky shook his head. "Because he's straight. This's a mating nest."

"Have I overstepped?" asked Tony, continuing what he'd been doing, just in case. He felt more hopeful about the glances he'd caught Bucky sneaking, which he'd assumed were suspicious but now realized might have been appreciative.

Bucky gave him a sly, wolfish sort of grin. "Only if you don't believe in inter-species dating, dollface."

"It'll have to be casual at first," said Tony. He let his eyes roam over Bucky's strong body, let himself imagine what it would be like, to have a wolf at his side, always and forever. This wolf, just as odd and broken in his way as Tony. "Mating, that's a very long-term deal, with a dragon. But if you're interested in giving things a shot, I'm both willing and able."

"And how does a guy earn a shot at long-term?" asked Bucky, prowling over to Tony on his hands and knees, graceful and easy even as a man.

Tony leaned in close and gave Bucky the same kind of thorough scenting he'd given Tony, smelling all the musk and wanting and the nerves, too, anxiety and even a little tinge of fear. He was strong and sweet and Steve was probably going to kill Tony for smiling sweetly and saying, "All you gotta do is ask, snowflake."

"Can I kiss you, Tony? Can I woo ya?" Bucky's mouth was hovering over his, body nearly tipping Tony over with the way he was crowding into Tony's space, big and solid.

"Yeah," he replied, smirking a little, heart skipping a beat in anticipation. "But I want dinner and a movie before we get naked."

"So demanding," teased Bucky right back, lips soft as they found Tony's, followed by not-too-sharp teeth and a tongue that danced against his own. "I don't put out on the first date, anyway."

Tony hummed and kissed him again, gently pushed him over and into the nest, crawling in with him. "You'll let me know when we roll over to the second one, then, I trust. JARVIS, order us something meaty, please." Tony curled smugly against Bucky's body, basking in the heat he put out like a furnace. _This_, he thought, _could be mine._

"Pizza, dumplings, burgers, or barbecue?" asked the AI, hopefully taking Bucky's preferences into account as well as Tony's.

Bucky pulled Tony closer and kissed his hair with a hum of satisfaction. "Can we get dumplings and beef noodles? The fat ones from that Chinese place I like."

"Of course, Sgt. Barnes. I will order a wolf's portion. And you, sir?" said JARVIS.

Tony chuckled. "Just get me some of what he's getting, plus those crab things." He wriggled closer, making a pleased noise at the softness of the nest, the way the layers cradled and welcomed and warmed him. Not to mention the delicious solidity of Bucky's muscles under the worn jeans and henley.

"I'll send favorites down to everyone, then, sir," said JARVIS. The Chinese place was popular with all the Avengers these days, so the gesture would be appreciated.

"Efficient, generous, and considerate. How did I ever program you, J?" asked Tony teasingly.

"The world may never know," replied JARVIS. "What movie shall I cue up?"

"Give us three of Tony's all-time faves, please, but nothing I've already seen," said Bucky, shifting them enough that they could both see the tv and still cuddle.

The room dimmed and the screen lit up with the opening to _Practical Magic_. Tony gave in to the inevitable and settled in to watch it. "The magic in this is terrible," he said, "but there's no bad science, and some days that's all I need."

Bucky's answering chuckle was enough to distract him from the potential embarrassment, the low sound pushing all the buttons he'd been trying to ignore.

Nest or not, it was still the first date.


End file.
